rampant
Americanadjective
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violent in action or spirit; raging; furious.
a rampant leopard.
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growing luxuriantly, as weeds.
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in full sway; prevailing or unchecked.
a rampant rumor.
- Synonyms:
- unrestrained, widespread, rife
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Heraldry. (of a beast used as a charge) represented in profile facing the dexter side, with the body upraised and resting on the left hind leg, the tail and other legs elevated, the right foreleg highest, and the head in profile unless otherwise specified.
a lion rampant.
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Architecture. (of an arch or vault) springing at one side from one level of support and resting at the other on a higher level.
adjective
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unrestrained or violent in behaviour, desire, opinions, etc
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growing or developing unchecked
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(postpositive) heraldry (of a beast) standing on the hind legs, the right foreleg raised above the left
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(of an arch) having one abutment higher than the other
Other Word Forms
- rampancy noun
- rampantly adverb
Etymology
Origin of rampant
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French, literally, “creeping, climbing,” present participle of ramper “to creep, crawl, climb”; ramp 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The value of loans to software firms like those made by Blue Owl have tumbled in recent months as concerns run rampant that AI could make some of those companies obsolete.
The Fijian winger crossed twice and created a third try as the rampant Rhinos led 28-0 at half-time.
From BBC
Malaria is rampant at the camps, and last year, the miner said, he came home to find he had malaria, dengue fever and kidney failure.
But environmentalists who have long warned about the risks of rampant deforestation fear the current response will not solve the problem, and could even make it worse.
From Barron's
In the Guthrie case, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos felt compelled to issue a statement on a weekend clearing her family as suspects to tamp down the rampant speculation.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
